Per Mertesacker is entrusted with the job of collecting fines from Arsenal players in breach of club discipline but the German may find himself going cap in hand to manager Arsene Wenger for his place in the team.

Rafael Benitez today told Frank Lampard it was up to him to prove Chelsea wrong over their decision not to offer him a new contract.

England midfielder Lampard last week
appeared resigned to leaving Stamford Bridge when his current deal expires at
the end of the season.

But the 34-year-old still has it
within his power to make himself indispensable to the club where he has become
a legend during 11-and-a-half glorious years.

Interim manager Benitez said:
"The best way to do things is to perform on the pitch.

"For a player, it's easier even
than for a manager. For a manager, it depends on
other people.

"For a player, you can go there
and show everyone that you are the best and it will be easier, any
conversation."

He added: "All of us are
professional, we try to do our best, and after see what happens. But the answer is to be even better
on the pitch."

Lampard's bid to do just that has
been seriously hampered by injury in 2012 but he has started Chelsea's last two
matches and looks set for a regular spot in the side as captain, including
Sunday's Barclays Premier League game with Aston Villa.

Benitez said: "He's an
important player for us. He's a good player, he has
quality, experience, he can help the team in the build-up, and he can help the
team scoring goals."

And, despite his contract saga, he
is fully motivated to do so, according to Benitez.

"I can see him working very
hard in the training session, and working hard during the games," Benitez
said. "So, I don't see any
difference."

Proof of this came in Lampard's
reaction to not starting Chelsea's Club World Cup semi-final against Monterrey
last week.

"He wanted to play from the
beginning in the first game and he was not quite happy," Benitez said. "My job is trying to bring the
best out of each player.

"So I will try to bring the
best from him against Aston Villa, against Norwich and every game."